OU Journalism Students to Mentor High Schoolers

NORMAN, OKLA. – Journalism students at the University of Oklahoma will soon be helping Oklahoma high schoolers explain “What is Home?” through a digital storytelling project.

The Institute for the Study of Human Flourishing, in partnership with the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication at OU, received a $29,800 Kirkpatrick Foundation grant, which will be used to fund a project titled “What is Home?: A Digital Storytelling Project for Oklahoma High School Students.”

Through the project, 20 high school students – 10 from Norman High School and 10 from Clinton High School – will have the opportunity to develop digital storytelling skills and virtues such as open-mindedness, curiosity, intellectual humility and perseverance.

Over the next seven months, the students will be provided a GoPro camera and asked to create a five- to 10-minute video on the topic of “What is Home?” OU students, under the supervision of Lee Reynolds, director of development and alumni relations at the Gaylord College, will mentor the high school students and provide assistance in completing the project.

“‘What is Home?’ will help serve the educational needs of students and introduce them to promising career paths,” said Nancy Snow, director of the Institute for the Study of Human Flourishing. “The proposed project is squarely in tune with OU’s strategic plan, insofar as it expands education outreach and cultivates partnerships between OU and communities in Oklahoma.”

“Thanks to the Kirkpatrick Foundation for helping us partner with Nancy Snow and the Institute for the Study of Human Flourishing,” said Ed Kelley, dean of Gaylord College. “We in Gaylord College enjoy a good relationship with the two high schools, where storytelling is emphasized across a variety of mediums. This is a great opportunity for current students in our college to interact with high school students to the benefit of everyone involved.”

Participating high school students, as well as faculty and OU mentors, will complete pre- and post-surveys to gauge the impact of the project. Results will be compiled and presented to the Kirkpatrick Foundation, in the hopes of encouraging other foundations and high schools to replicate the project.

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 About the University of Oklahoma

Founded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. OU serves the educational, cultural, economic and health care needs of the state, region and nation. For more information visit www.ou.edu.

About the Kirkpatrick Foundation

Kirkpatrick Foundation, founded by John and Eleanor Kirkpatrick, is a private foundation located in Oklahoma City. Since 1955, the foundation has funded a wide range of endeavors, primarily in the arts, education, animal wellbeing, environmental conservation, and historic preservation. For more information visit www.kirkpatrickfoundation.com.